The vibrant colors of the Northern Lights are determined by the chemical composition of Earth’s atmosphere. For example, red hues are produced by nitrogen molecules, while green colors come from oxygen molecules.
Best Places to View the Aurora Borealis in the U.S.
Ten U.S. states are expected to have prime views of the Aurora Borealis:
- New York (northern areas)
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- Maine
Monitoring Solar Activity
The recently launched GOES-U satellite, aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket, is designed to monitor high levels of solar activity. This satellite is part of the GOES-R Series, which NOAA describes as “the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather-observing and environmental-monitoring system.” It provides advanced imagery, atmospheric measurements, real-time lightning mapping, and space weather monitoring.
With increased solar activity expected in the coming years, we can look forward to more frequent and spectacular displays of the Aurora Borealis.
